Information processing terminal and method, program, and recording medium

ABSTRACT

There is provided an information processing terminal including: an input unit for receiving an input of a gesture; a recognition unit for recognizing the gesture input to the input unit; and a display unit for displaying gestures enterable on a screen to which the gesture has been input as correction candidates if the input gesture is unrecognizable.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates to an information processing terminal andmethod, a program, and a recording medium, and more particularly to aninformation processing terminal and method, a program, and a recordingmedium, which can enable a gesture to be reliably input.

The number of interfaces operable by gestures is increasing along withthe widespread use of information processing terminals such as a smartphone and a tablet terminal on which a touch panel is mounted. When auser has input a gesture, the information processing terminal recognizesthe gesture and executes a process associated with the recognizedgesture.

Because there are various types of gesture inputs, an informationprocessing terminal displays a menu that provides a guide of enterablegestures to a user (for example, see Japanese Patent ApplicationLaid-Open No. 2005-339420).

SUMMARY

In an information processing terminal in which a plurality ofapplications can operate, a recognizable gesture or a process associatedwith the gesture may differ according to an application. Thus, the usermay input a gesture not corresponding to an application. In this case,of course, a process intended by the user is not executed.

In view of the foregoing, it is desirable to reliably input a gesture.

According to an embodiment of the present technology, there is providedan information processing terminal including: an input unit forreceiving an input of a gesture; a recognition unit for recognizing thegesture input to the input unit; and a display unit for displayinggestures enterable on a screen to which the gesture has been input ascorrection candidates if the input gesture is unrecognizable.

The information processing terminal may further include: a trajectorydisplay control unit for displaying a trajectory of the input gestureand displaying the trajectory as an icon.

The correction candidates may be displayed in order of decreasingresemblance of the gestures to the unrecognizable gesture.

The information processing terminal may further include: a storage unitfor storing correction information in which the trajectory is associatedwith the correction candidate selected by a user if the input gesture isunrecognizable.

An information processing method of an information processing terminal,a program, and a program recording medium according to other embodimentsof the present technology each correspond to the information processingterminal according to the above-described embodiment of the presenttechnology.

In the other embodiments of the present technology, an input of agesture is input, the input gesture is recognized, and enterablegestures are displayed as correction candidates on a screen to which thegesture has been input if the gesture is unrecognizable.

According to the embodiments of the present technology described above,it is possible to reliably input a gesture.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the external appearanceof an information processing terminal according to an embodiment of thepresent technology;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an electrical configurationexample of the information processing terminal;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configurationexample of a controller;

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a display example of a display unit;

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a gesture input;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a gesture input process;

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a display example when the gestureinput process is executed;

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a display example when the gestureinput process is executed;

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a display example when the gestureinput process is executed;

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a display example when the gestureinput process is executed;

FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating an enterable area display process;

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a display example when the enterablearea display process is executed;

FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a display example when the enterablearea display process is executed;

FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating a display example when the enterablearea display process is executed; and

FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating a display example when the enterablearea display process is executed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT(S)

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will bedescribed in detail with reference to the appended drawings. Note that,in this specification and the appended drawings, structural elementsthat have substantially the same function and structure are denoted withthe same reference numerals, and repeated explanation of thesestructural elements is omitted.

Description will be given in the following order.

1. First Embodiment (Gesture Input Correction Function)

2. Second Embodiment (Enterable Area Display Function)

<First Embodiment>

A gesture input correction function, which is a function of correcting agesture by displaying options when the gesture input by a user isunrecognizable, will be described.

[External Appearance of Information Processing Terminal]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the external appearanceof the information processing terminal according to an embodiment of thepresent technology.

The information processing terminal 1 of FIG. 1 is a portable terminalsuch as a smart phone, a portable phone, a personal digital assistant(PDA), or a portable navigation device (PND). The information processingterminal 1 is provided with a housing having a size allowing the user tocarry the information processing terminal 1 in one hand.

A display unit 11 formed of a liquid crystal display (LCD) and the likeis provided on the front side of the housing of the informationprocessing terminal 1. A touch panel 25 is provided on the top surfaceof the display unit 11, and the user can directly operate the touchpanel 25 of a position corresponding to information displayed on thedisplay unit 11 with a finger or the like. An operation unit 12 formedof a plurality of buttons is provided below the display unit 11.

[Configuration Example of Information Processing Terminal]

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an electrical configurationexample of the information processing terminal 1.

The information processing terminal 1 is configured by connecting asensor unit 22, a camera 23, a communication unit 24, the touch panel25, and a storage unit 26 as well as the display unit 11 and theoperation unit 12 to a controller 21.

The controller 21 is constituted by a central processing unit (CPU), aread only memory (ROM), and a random access memory (RAM) (notillustrated) and the like. The CPU of the controller 21 is executedusing the RAM by loading a program from the ROM, and controls the wholeoperation of the information processing terminal 1.

The sensor unit 22 is formed of a gyro sensor and the like, and detectsthe vibration occurring in the information processing terminal 1. Thesensor unit 22 outputs information regarding the detected vibration tothe controller 21.

The camera 23 has an imaging element such as a complementary metal oxidesemiconductor (CMOS) image sensor, and performs photoelectric conversionof light captured by a lens (not illustrated) provided on the front sideof the housing of the information processing terminal 1, and generatesimage data. An image captured by the camera 23 is provided to thecontroller 21.

The communication unit 24 communicates with a device on a network suchas a local area network (LAN) or the Internet. For example, informationof a web page and the like received by the communication unit 24 isdisplayed on the display unit 11.

The transparent touch panel 25 is provided on the top surface of thedisplay unit 11, and detects an operation of the user's finger or thelike. The storage unit 26 is constituted by a nonvolatile memory, a harddisk, and the like, and stores programs to be executed by the controller21, data, and the like.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configurationexample of the controller 21. At least some of the functional unitsillustrated in FIG. 3 are implemented by causing the controller 21 ofFIG. 2 to execute a predetermined program.

In FIG. 3, the controller 21 is configured to include a gesturerecognition unit 31, a recognition result correction unit 32, acorrection information storage unit 33, a trajectory display unit 34,and a correction candidate generation unit 35.

The gesture recognition unit 31 detects a gesture input by the usertracing over the touch panel 25 with a finger. In addition to theabove-described tracing operation, there are a plurality of operationsas gestures. For example, the gesture is a tap operation in which theuser lightly touches the touch panel 25 once and a double-touchoperation in which the user lightly touches the touch panel 25 twice.For example, there is a flick operation in which the user flicks thetouch panel 25 with a finger 41 in an arbitrary direction (see FIG. 4 aswill be described later). The gesture further includes an operation inwhich the finger 41 of the user draws a graphic such as a circle or atriangle on the touch panel 25.

In addition, the gesture recognition unit 31 recognizes which ofprocesses to be executed by the information processing terminal 1 isassociated with the detected gesture. That is, if there is no processassociated with the detected gesture, the gesture recognition unit 31determines that the gesture is unrecognizable.

Further, the gesture recognition unit 31 executes a process associatedwith the recognized gesture.

The recognition result correction unit 32 performs a process ofprompting the user to perform correction for the gesture unrecognizableby the gesture recognition unit 31. Specifically, for example, gesturesrecognizable on a screen to which the user has input the gesture orother gestures close to the gesture input by the user are displayed asoptions on the display unit 11. In addition, for example, therecognition result correction unit 32 displays an area where the gestureis enterable if an area where the user has input the gesture incorrespondence with an image of the display unit 11 is an area where thegesture is unrecognizable.

If the user has input the unrecognizable gesture, the correctioninformation storage unit 33 associates the unrecognizable gesture with agesture selected by the user, and stores an association result ascorrection information. The correction information storage unit 33iteratively stores the correction information every time theunrecognizable gesture is detected. On the basis of the correctioninformation accumulated in the correction information storage unit 33,the gesture recognition unit 31 learns the user's gesture. In addition,the correction information storage unit 33 associates an identification(ID) specifying an application currently displayed on the display unit11 and an ID specifying a screen with a gesture, and stores anassociation result.

The trajectory display unit 34 displays a trajectory of the gesturerecognized by the gesture recognition unit 31 on the display unit 11. Inaddition, the trajectory display unit 34 creates an animation in which agesture trajectory is reduced to a predetermined size, and displays agesture based on the predetermined size as the reduced trajectory on thedisplay unit 11. The reduced trajectory will be described later withreference to FIG. 7.

The correction candidate generation unit 35 generates gesturesrecognizable on the screen to which the user has input the gesture orgesture candidates close to the unrecognizable gesture as options byreferring to the ID specifying the application currently displayed onthe display unit 11 and the ID specifying the screen stored in thecorrection information storage unit 33. In addition, the correctioncandidate generation unit 35 detects an area where the gesture isenterable from among images displayed on the display unit 11 byreferring to the ID specifying the application currently displayed onthe display unit 11 and the ID specifying the screen stored in thecorrection information storage unit 33.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a display example of the display unit11. As described above, the transparent touch panel 25 is provided onthe top surface of the display unit 11, and the user has visual contactwith information displayed on the display unit 11 via the touch panel 25and performs a direct operation with the finger 41 or the like.

The finger 41 of the user inputs the gesture to the touch panel 25. Theuser inputs the gesture by causing the finger 41 to be in contact withthe touch panel 25 and performing various operations on the touch panel25. Hereinafter, for simplicity of description, the gesture is alsodescribed as being input to the display unit 11, if necessary.

Display areas 51 to 54 are windows displayed on the display unit 11.Images corresponding to content and applications are displayed on thedisplay areas 51 to 54.

A scroll bar 55 can cause an image displayed on the display unit 11 tomove right or left. That is, the user can cause the image displayed onthe display unit 11 to move to left/right by flicking the scroll bar 55in a horizontal direction.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a gesture input. If theuser inputs a gesture of drawing a star with the finger 41 (hereinafterreferred to as a gesture (star)), the gesture recognition unit 31recognizes that the gesture by the finger 41 is the gesture (star). Inaddition, a trajectory of the finger 41 recognized by the gesturerecognition unit 31 is displayed in a position where the gesture hasbeen input by the finger 41 on the display unit 11 as a gesturetrajectory 61 according to the trajectory display unit 34. The gesturerecognition unit 31 executes a process (for example, “Open the optionmenu” or the like) associated with the input gesture (star).

[Operation of Information Processing Terminal]

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a gesture input process. When theuser has input the gesture to the display unit 11, the gesture inputprocess is executed by the controller 21.

In addition, FIGS. 7 to 10 are diagrams illustrating display exampleswhen the gesture input process is executed. Hereinafter, a process ofthe flowchart of FIG. 6 will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 to10.

In step S1, the gesture recognition unit 31 detects a gesture.Specifically, in FIG. 7, the gesture recognition unit 31 detects thegesture input with the finger 41 from the display unit 11. That is, atrajectory of the gesture is detected.

In step S2, the trajectory display unit 34 displays the gesturetrajectory detected by the gesture recognition unit 31 in step S1 on thedisplay unit 11. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 7, the trajectorydisplay unit 34 displays a star-shaped gesture trajectory 62 on thedisplay unit 11.

In step S3, the gesture recognition unit 31 determines whether or notthe detected trajectory is a recognizable gesture. If the detectedgesture is not the recognizable gesture, NO is determined in step S3 andthe process proceeds to step S5. For example, in FIG. 7, the gesturetrajectory 62 looks like the gesture (star). However, as compared to thegesture trajectory 61 illustrated in FIG. 5, the gesture trajectory 62is tilted in a left direction. Thus, the gesture recognition unit 31 isunable to recognize that the gesture trajectory 62 is the gesture(star).

In this case, in step S5, the trajectory display unit 34 displays areduced trajectory 71. That is, as illustrated in FIG. 7, the trajectorydisplay unit 34 displays an animation in which the gesture trajectory 62is gradually reduced and moved in a left-right direction. As illustratedin FIG. 8, the trajectory display unit 34 displays the reducedtrajectory 71 at the lower left as an icon.

The reduced trajectory 71 is displayed as described above. Thus, theuser can know that a gesture performed by the user has not beenrecognized (or has been rejected) by the gesture recognition unit 31.

Next, in step S6, the recognition result correction unit 32 determineswhether the reduced trajectory 71 has been tapped. That is, if the usermakes an input support request knowing that the input gesture has notbeen recognized from the displayed reduced trajectory 71, the user tapsthe reduced trajectory 71. As illustrated in FIG. 9, it is determinedwhether the user has tapped the reduced trajectory 71 with the finger41.

If the reduced trajectory 71 has been tapped with the finger 41, YES isdetermined in step S6 and the process proceeds to step S7. In step S7,the recognition result correction unit 32 displays a recognitioncorrection menu 81. That is, the recognition result correction unit 32displays the recognition correction menu 81 generated by the correctioncandidate generation unit 35 on the display unit 11. The recognitioncorrection menu 81 is a menu in which gestures recognizable on thescreen (in the current case, the screen of FIG. 9) to which the currentuser has input the gesture are presented to the user as options in theorder in which they seem close to the gesture input by the user. Whenthe gesture recognition unit 31 has not recognized the gesture, thecorrection candidate generation unit 35 selects gestures close to theinput trajectory from among enterable gestures, and generates therecognition correction menu 81.

Specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 10, the recognition correction menu81 is displayed on the display unit 11 if the trajectory 71 is tappedwith the finger 41. In the recognition correction menu 81, the gesturetrajectory 62 input by the user and icons of options 91 to 93 as gesturecandidates recognizable on the screen are displayed. For example, thegesture (star) and the text “Open the option menu” as the explanation ofa process associated with the gesture (star) are displayed in the option91. In addition, a gesture of drawing a triangle by the finger 41(hereinafter referred to as a gesture (triangle)) and the text “Open anew window” as the explanation of a process associated with the gesture(triangle) are displayed in the option 92. Further, a gesture of drawingthe letter W with the finger 41 (hereinafter referred to as a gesture(W)) and the text “Close the window” as the explanation of a processassociated with the gesture (W) are displayed in the option 93.

The options 91 to 93 are displayed, so that the user can check a gesturethe user wanted to input. The user selects an option, that is, an optioncorresponding to a gesture the user actually wanted to input.

In step S8, the recognition result correction unit 32 detects theselected option. That is, the option tapped with the finger 41 isdetected from among the options 91 to 93 illustrated in FIG. 10.

In step S9, the gesture recognition unit 31 executes a processassociated with the gesture selected in step S8. That is, for example,when the option 91 of the options 91 to 93 illustrated in FIG. 10 hasbeen tapped with the finger 41, the gesture recognition unit 31 executesthe process corresponding to “Open the option menu.”

In step S10, the recognition result correction unit 32 stores correctioninformation. That is, the correction information storage unit 33associates the gesture (star) of the selected option 91 with the gesturetrajectory 62, which is a trajectory of the detected gesture, and storesan association result as the correction information. Thereby, thegesture input process ends. The correction information is iterativelystored in the correction information storage unit 33 every time anunrecognizable gesture is detected. The gesture recognition unit 31learns the user's gesture by referring to accumulated correctioninformation. Thereafter, the gesture is recognized as the gesture(star), for example, if the gesture (star) tilted in the left directionhas been detected.

On the other hand, if NO is determined in step S6, that is, if thereduced trajectory 71 is not tapped, the process proceeds to step S11.

In step S11, the recognition result correction unit 32 determineswhether a predetermined time has elapsed. If the predetermined time hasnot elapsed, NO is determined in step S11 and the process returns tostep S6. That is, the process of steps S6 and S11 is iterated until thepredetermined time elapses or the reduced trajectory is tapped.

On the other hand, if the predetermined time is determined to haveelapsed in step S11, the process proceeds to step S12.

In step S12, the recognition result correction unit 32 deletes thereduced trajectory 71. That is, if the reduced trajectory 71 has notbeen tapped even when the predetermined time has elapsed, therecognition result correction unit 32 deletes the reduced trajectory 71by determining the reduced trajectory 71 as unnecessary information forthe user.

A process when NO is determined in step S3 has been described above. Onthe other hand, if YES is determined in step S3, that is, if thedetected gesture is the recognizable gesture, the process proceeds tostep S4. In step S4, the gesture recognition unit 31 executes a processassociated with the gesture. That is, if YES is determined in step S3,the process of steps S5 to S12 is not executed because it is unnecessaryto correct the gesture.

Thereby, the gesture input process is executed, so that the user canknow that the gesture performed by the user has been rejected. Inaddition, gesture candidates are displayed as options. Thus, the usercan correct the gesture performed by the user and execute the sameprocess as when an intended gesture has been correctly input.

In addition, the trajectory display unit 34 displays the trajectory ofthe input gesture. Thus, the user can guess the cause of gesturerejection, for example, such as that the gesture is not recognizedbecause the display unit 11 is contaminated. Specifically, for example,when a line traced with the finger 41 is broken in the middle of thegesture trajectory, the user can guess that a broken portion of thegesture trajectory is not recognizable because the display unit 11 iscontaminated. Thereby, the user cleans the display 11 so that a correctgesture input is recognizable.

If the gesture recognition unit 31 does not recognize the gesture, thecontroller 21 may output a sound or cause the information processingterminal 1 to vibrate simultaneously when the trajectory display unit 34displays the reduced trajectory 71.

Although the reduced trajectory 71 is deleted if the reduced trajectory71 is not tapped for a predetermined time, the following configurationcan be made. That is, a new reduced trajectory 71 may be additionallydisplayed every time a different type of gesture is rejected. If thenumber of displays of reduced trajectories 71 exceeds an upper limit(for example, three or the like), the reduced trajectories 71 may bedeleted in order from an old input.

Further, the reduced trajectory 71 is not limited to the display exampleof FIG. 7. For example, the trajectory display unit 34 may form ananimation as if the reduced trajectory 71 moves and floats. It ispreferable to give an impression obviously different from an originaldisplay. Thereby, the recognition result correction unit 32 can moreeffectively prompt the user to correct an input gesture.

In addition, even when a gesture input by an application is different,the user can easily correct the input gesture because the gesture and aprocess associated with the gesture are displayed on the recognitioncorrection menu 81.

Further, an option such as “new setting” may be provided on therecognition correction menu 81. By selecting the option “new setting,”the user can set a new menu corresponding to the input gesture (forexample, the gesture trajectory 62). That is, the user can register anew gesture not registered as a gesture input in the gesture recognitionunit 31.

<Second Embodiment>

Although the user's gesture input is supported by presenting options inthe first embodiment, it is possible to support the user's gesture inputby presenting enterable areas. For example, an enterable area displayfunction, which is a function of displaying an area where a gesture isenterable, when the user inputs a gesture to an area where the gestureis not enterable or an area not corresponding to the gesture input bythe user in the display unit 11 will be described.

The configuration of the information processing terminal 1 is the sameas described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3.

[Operation of Information Processing Terminal]

FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating an enterable area display process.The enterable area display process is executed by the controller 21 toimplement the above-described enterable area display function.

In addition, FIGS. 12 to 15 are diagrams illustrating display exampleswhen the enterable area display process is executed. Hereinafter, theprocess of the flowchart of FIG. 11 will be described with reference toFIGS. 4 and 12 to 15.

In step S31, the gesture recognition unit 31 detects a gesture.Specifically, in FIG. 4, the gesture recognition unit 31 detects thegesture input with the finger 41 from the display unit 11.

In step S32, the gesture recognition unit 31 determines whether thegesture is recognizable. If the detected gesture is not recognizable, NOis determined in step S32 and the process proceeds to step S33.Specifically, for example, if a tap input has been performed with thefinger 41 in an area where there is no process associated with the tapinput, NO is determined in step S32.

In step S33, the recognition result correction unit 32 counts the numberof unrecognizable gesture inputs. For example, the number of tap inputsperformed with the finger 41 is counted in the above-described areawhere there is no process associated with the tap input.

In step S34, the recognition result correction unit 32 determineswhether N unrecognizable gestures have been continuously counted. N isan arbitrary integer. If NO is determined in step S34, that is, if anunrecognizable gesture or N continuous unrecognizable gestures is/arenot detected, the process returns to step S31. In other words, until theN unrecognizable gestures are continuously detected, the process ofsteps S31 to S34 is iterated as long as no recognizable gesture isdetected (the process of step S32). If the N unrecognizable gestureshave continuously been detected, YES is determined in step S34 and theprocess proceeds to step S35.

In step S35, the recognition result correction unit 32 displays areas121 to 124 where the gesture is enterable. That is, the correctioncandidate generation unit 35 detects an area where the gesture isenterable at a predetermined time for each screen. In the example ofFIG. 12, the areas 121 to 124 where the gesture is enterable aredetected. On the basis of a detection result, the areas 121 to 124 wherethe gesture is enterable are displayed. The areas 121 to 124 where thegesture is enterable are expressed on an original display screen, forexample, as if filters with different colors overlap. In other words,the areas 121 to 124 where the gesture is enterable are arranged so thatthe original display screen (for example, text, graphics, and the like)is visible, and the enterable areas are visible to the user.

For example, the area 121 where the gesture is enterable is an areawhere a tap is enterable in an illustrated range. The area 122 where thegesture is enterable is an area where a flick of a vertical direction(hereinafter referred to as a vertical flick) is enterable in theillustrated range. The area 123 where the gesture is enterable is anarea where a flick of a horizontal direction (hereinafter referred to asa horizontal flick) is enterable in the illustrated range. The area 124where the gesture is enterable is an area where a long press isenterable by the finger 41 of the user in continuous contact with thetouch panel 25 for a predetermined time in the illustrated range. Theuser can know a type and position of an enterable gesture from a colorand position of an area.

Next, in step S36, the recognition result correction unit 32 determineswhether a help icon 101 has been tapped. That is, if the help icon 101has been tapped with the finger 41 as illustrated in FIG. 13, YES isdetermined in step S36 and the process proceeds to step S37.

In step S37, the recognition result correction unit 32 displays a legenddisplay screen 131. That is, the correction candidate generation unit 35generates an image to be displayed when a predetermined area has beenoperated. In correspondence with the help icon 101, the legend displayscreen 131 illustrated in FIG. 14 is generated. The recognition resultcorrection unit 32 displays the legend display screen 131 on the displayunit 11.

As illustrated in FIG. 14, the legend display screen 131 is an enterablegesture display screen corresponding to an area indicating the areas 121and 124 where the gesture is enterable. As described above, for example,because the area 121 where the gesture is enterable is an area where thetap is enterable, a color 121A of the area 121 where the gesture isenterable is illustrated in the legend display screen 131, and the term“tap” is displayed in correspondence therewith. Likewise, on the legenddisplay screen 131, colors 122A to 124A of the areas 122 to 124 wherethe gesture is enterable are illustrated, and the terms “verticalflick,” “horizontal flick,” and “long press” are displayed incorrespondence therewith.

Thereby, the user can understand which gesture is enterable in each ofthe areas 121 and 124 by viewing the legend display screen 131.

In addition, an additional icon 125 to be operated when supplementaryinformation is displayed is further displayed on the legend displayscreen 131. The additional icon 125 is also a tap target icon andtherefore is displayed in the same color 121A as that of the area 121where the gesture is enterable.

In step S38, the recognition result correction unit 32 determineswhether the additional icon 125 has been tapped. That is, if theadditional icon 125 has been tapped with the finger 41 as illustrated inFIG. 15, YES is determined in step S38 and the process proceeds to stepS39.

In step S39, the recognition result correction unit 32 displays anadditional legend display screen 141. That is, as described above, thecorrection candidate generation unit 35 generates the additional legenddisplay screen 141 as a display screen when the additional icon 125 hasbeen tapped. The recognition result correction unit 32 displays thegenerated additional legend display screen 141 on the display unit 11.Then, the process returns to step S31.

As illustrated in FIG. 15, the additional legend display screen 141 is ascreen on which gestures recognizable on a current display screen aredisplayed. Specifically, a gesture of drawing a circle by the finger 41in the clockwise direction (hereinafter referred to as a gesture (rightrotation)) and the term “right rotation” are displayed on the additionallegend display screen 141 as a process associated with the gesture(right rotation). The “right rotation” is a process of rotating agraphic or the like in a rightward direction. In addition, for example,a gesture of drawing a circle by the finger 41 in the counterclockwisedirection (hereinafter referred to as a gesture (left rotation)) and theterm “left rotation” are displayed as a process associated with thegesture (left rotation). The “left rotation” is, for example, a processof rotating a graphic or the like in a leftward direction. In addition,the gesture (star), the gesture (triangle), and the gesture (W)described with reference to FIG. 10 are displayed on the additionallegend display screen 141 in association with the terms “Open the optionmenu,” “Open a new window,” and “Close the window.”

The user can know more enterable gestures as supplementary informationby referring to the additional legend display screen 141.

On the other hand, if NO is determined in step S36, that is, if the userdoes not tap the help icon 101, the user does not need the legenddisplay screen 131. Consequently, the process returns to step S31.Likewise, if NO is determined in step S38, that is, if the user does nottap the additional icon 125, the process returns to step S31 because theuser does not need the additional legend display screen 141.

The case where NO is determined in step S32 has been described above. Onthe other hand, if YES is determined in step S32, that is, if thedetected gesture is recognizable, the process proceeds to step S40. Thatis, if YES is determined in step S32, the process of steps S33 to S39 isnot executed because the areas 121 to 124 where the gesture is enterableare unnecessary.

In step S40, the gesture recognition unit 31 executes a processassociated with the gesture. That is, if N unrecognizable gestures havecontinuously been detected (the process of step S34), the areas 121 to124 where the gesture is enterable are displayed (the process of stepS35) or the legend display screen 131 or the additional legend displayscreen 141 is displayed (the process of step S37 or S39). If the usercan input the recognizable gesture by referring to these displays (theprocess of steps S31 and S32), the process proceeds to step S40. Thegesture recognition unit 31 can execute the process associated with thegesture.

Thereby, an enterable area display process is executed, so that the usercan view an area where a gesture is enterable on the screen inassociation with the enterable gesture. Thereby, the user can correctthe gesture performed by the user and execute an intended process.

In addition, the user can easily correct the input gesture because anenterable area corresponding to the gesture input is displayed on thelegend display screen 131 even when the gesture input or the enterablearea differs according to an application.

The above-described series of processes can be executed by hardware orsoftware. When the series of processes is executed by software, aprogram constituting the software is installed in a computer. Here, thecomputer includes a computer embedded in the information processingterminal 1 as dedicated hardware or a general-purpose personal computer,for example, which can execute various functions by installing variousprograms.

The program executed by the computer (the controller 21) can beprovided, for example, by configuring the storage unit 26 as a removablemedium such as a package medium and recording the program thereon. Theprogram can also be provided via a wired or wireless transmission mediumsuch as a LAN, the Internet, or digital satellite broadcasting.

The program executed by the computer may be a program in which theprocesses are performed in the chronological order described in thisspecification or a program in which the processes are performed inparallel or at appropriate timings such as upon a call.

It should be understood by those skilled in the art that variousmodifications, combinations, sub-combinations and alterations may occurdepending on design requirements and other factors insofar as they arewithin the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.

Additionally, the present technology may also be configured as below.

-   (1) An information processing terminal comprising:

an input unit for receiving an input of a gesture;

a recognition unit for recognizing the gesture input to the input unit;and

a display unit for displaying gestures enterable on a screen to whichthe gesture has been input as correction candidates if the input gestureis unrecognizable.

-   (2) The information processing terminal according to (1), further    comprising:

a trajectory display control unit for displaying a trajectory of theinput gesture and displaying the trajectory as an icon.

-   (3) The information processing terminal according to (1) or (2),    wherein the correction candidates are displayed in order of    decreasing resemblance of the gestures to the unrecognizable    gesture.-   (4) The information processing terminal according to any one of (1)    to (3), further comprising:

a storage unit for storing correction information in which thetrajectory is associated with the correction candidate selected by auser if the input gesture is unrecognizable.

-   (5) An information processing method comprising:

receiving an input of a gesture;

recognizing the input gesture; and

displaying gestures enterable on a screen to which the gesture has beeninput as correction candidates if the input gesture is unrecognizable.

-   (6) A program for causing a computer to execute:

receiving an input of a gesture;

recognizing the input gesture; and

displaying gestures enterable on a screen to which the gesture has beeninput as correction candidates if the input gesture is unrecognizable.

-   (7) A computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a    program, the program being adapted to cause a computer to execute:

receiving an input of a gesture;

recognizing the input gesture; and

displaying gestures enterable on a screen to which the gesture has beeninput as correction candidates if the input gesture is unrecognizable.

The present disclosure contains subject matter related to that disclosedin Japanese Priority Patent Application JP 2011-127334 filed in theJapan Patent Office on Jun. 17, 2011, the entire content of which ishereby incorporated by reference.

What is claimed is:
 1. An information processing terminal comprising: aninput unit for receiving an input of a gesture; a recognition unit forrecognizing the gesture input to the input unit; a trajectory displaycontrol unit for displaying a trajectory of the input gesture anddisplaying the trajectory as an icon; and a display unit for displaying,upon a selection of the icon, candidate gestures enterable on a screento which the gesture has been input as correction candidates if theinput gesture is unrecognizable.
 2. The information processing terminalaccording to claim 1, wherein the correction candidates are displayed inorder of decreasing resemblance of the gestures to the unrecognizablegesture.
 3. The information processing terminal according to claim 2,further comprising: a storage unit for storing correction information inwhich the trajectory is associated with the correction candidateselected by a user if the input gesture is unrecognizable.
 4. Aninformation processing method comprising: receiving an input of agesture; recognizing the input gesture; displaying a trajectory of theinput gesture as an icon; and displaying, upon a selection of the icon,candidate gestures enterable on a screen to which the gesture has beeninput as correction candidates if the input gesture is unrecognizable.5. The information processing method according to claim 4, wherein thecorrection candidates are displayed in order of decreasing resemblanceof the gestures to the unrecognizable gesture.
 6. The informationprocessing method according to claim 5, further comprising: storing, ina storage unit, correction information in which the trajectory isassociated with the correction candidate selected by a user if the inputgesture is unrecognizable.
 7. A non-transitory computer-readablerecording medium having recorded thereon a program, which when executedby a processor the program being adapted to cause a computer to executea method, the method comprising: receiving an input of a gesture;recognizing the input gesture; displaying a trajectory of the inputgesture as an icon; and displaying, upon a selection of the icon,candidate gestures enterable on a screen to which the gesture has beeninput as correction candidates if the input gesture is unrecognizable.8. The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium according toclaim 7, wherein the correction candidates are displayed in order ofdecreasing resemblance of the gestures to the unrecognizable gesture. 9.The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium according to claim8, wherein the executed method further comprises: storing, in a storageunit, correction information in which the trajectory is associated withthe correction candidate selected by a user if the input gesture isunrecognizable.